


one thousand parts are (nearly) dead

by womenlovingwonderwoman (The_Camel_Queen)



Series: is it not better to live (turn the stones into bread) [2]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Abuse, Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Child Abuse, Disability, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Princess Catra (She-Ra), Scars, Shadow Weaver | Light Spinner (She-Ra)'s A+ Parenting, adoptee trauma, catradora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25873174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Camel_Queen/pseuds/womenlovingwonderwoman
Summary: A prequel to bid my mother and my bonus crack by popular demand
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Glimmer (She-Ra)
Series: is it not better to live (turn the stones into bread) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877491
Comments: 34
Kudos: 206





	1. Chapter 1

Micah crumpled, exhausted, and only Juliet’s strong arm kept him up. Juliet kept her staff up, and distantly Micah was aware of Casta, Lilly, and George lighting up the battlefield, chasing the last of the battered tanks away. The inhabitants had clearly put up a fight. But not enough of one. 

“We’re too late,” Micah whispered.

The village was in ruins, smoke still rising from the blooded ashes. 

“Micah,” George ran back, his hand cool and soft against Micah’s cheek, “are you alright?” 

Micah closed his eyes, struggling to stand by himself before nodding. “Yes I just—I needed a moment.” 

“We chased the Horde off,” Lilly said. She conjured a flower from the earth but the bud promptly grayed and died. “But there doesn’t seem to be anything alive here anymore.”

“We should go,” Juliet said. “There’s nothing here for us.” 

We were too late, she didn’t say. 

“Micah,” Casta put a hand on his shoulder, “there was nothing we could’ve done. We got here as soon as we could.”

“The Horde might come back with reinforcements,” George said. “Do you have enough energy to teleport again?”

“Wait,” Micah shook his head, “I want—I want to perform a locator spell. It’ll tell us if anyone’s still alive.” 

“Micah,” George’s brow furrowed, “you already used up a lot of energy getting us here and we still need to go back. You don’t have to do this.”

“No. We were too late. I need—I need to do something,” Micah shoved them all away and, leaning on his staff, staggered away into the village. 

His hand drew up the incantation and his brow knit with concentration, a bead of sweat running down his temple. It burst forth in a blaze of light and swept through the village. As it approached the last few houses on the other end it stopped and focused. Micah drew in a breath as a spotlight appeared over one slightly less demolished hut and he scrambled forward. 

He knew they all were following, probably had drawn their weapons as they prepared for a skirmish with a left behind Horde soldier, but Micah couldn’t think that far. He could only think as far as that spotlight and his staff skidding on the ash covered ground. The blood of fallen magicats staining its wood.

Juliet broke the door in with one smooth kick and George and her fanned out, yelling commands to Casta and Lilly. But one scan of his eyes told him there was an odd shadow in what looked like a kitchen pantry. He scrambled over to it, staff slipping from his sweaty hand as he pulled open the door. 

His heart broke. 

There was a little girl, hands over her head and huddled into a corner, shoulders shaking from the force of her terror. 

“Hey,” he knelt, the girl didn’t move. “The bad people are gone. You’re safe now. My name is Micah, what’s yours?” She was tiny, smaller than his Glimmer, and his heart broke at the thought of Glimmer. What if this was her? “I have a daughter back home. Her name’s Glimmer. She’s four. How old are you?”

The girl squeezed her body tighter and Micah glanced up, realizing Juliet and Casta stood over them. Micah made eye contact with Juliet and she shook her head. There were no other survivors. 

He reached out a hand to the little girl, “Do you want to come with me? Meet Glimmer? I promise I’ll protect you. No one will ever hurt you again.”

The girl’s eyes drifted up from behind her knees, one blue and one yellow. Beautiful. 

Micah thought he understood love at first sight when he met Angella, Glimmer, but now he was learning it all over again in this little girl’s eyes. And he knew Angella and Glimmer would feel the same. 

She looked at the hand and he smiled, pouring every ounce of his kindness and love into it. “Promise?” She asked.

He nodded, they might be the two easiest words he’d ever say, “I promise.”


	2. Princess Prom Crack Bonus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A first draft at what the concept was for bid my mother, long before i hammered out any of the details.

“Glimmer get everyone out!” Catra yelled over the din of the bloodshed, “I’ve got the blonde!” 

“Catra—” 

Catra glared back at her, “That’s an order!” Catra turned back to face the force captain. She was tall and muscular, angular like a sword. Her eyes narrowed on Catra and she extended her staff. It’d hurt like a mother fucker if Catra let it touch her but as strong as this woman was she wasn’t very quick.

“So mysterious blonde stranger, we meet again,” Catra smirked. “I’d have thought you missed me.” 

“Incorrect,” the woman said, her voice dull and monotonous. 

She launched forward into an attack and Catra easily dodged, swiping around her feet. The woman jumped and Catra ducked away from the descending staff. 

“This is the third time we’ve fought. You know what they say once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, and third is—well this would be our third date right?” Catra waggled her eyebrows and the woman stabbed forward again, Catra side stepping her. “At least allow me to know the name of my nemesis.” 

The woman kept attacking and Catra kept dodging, flirting as much as she could. The blonde force captain really was her favorite, even if she was more deadly than Scorpia or Octavia. 

“Hey,” Catra blinked, suddenly coming up with an idea, the woman attacked again, nearly singeing one of her gray tufts as Catra ducked. “We should go to princess prom together.” This made the woman pause, nearly losing her balance mid-strike.

“What.”

“Princess prom,” Catra said slowly, aware this woman must’ve had a lot of concussions growing up. “It’s coming up and I get tickets because technically I’m a princess. You should be my date.” 

The woman’s brow furrowed, “No,” she lunged again but this time left herself wide open making it easy for Catra to grab her wrist and throw her to the ground. 

“It’ll be fun. There’s dancing and music and food. I’ll even wear a suit.” 

“No,” the woman stumbled away from Catra, getting to her feet despite her hair poof now out and in her face. Must’ve tried to cut her own bangs. “I want to kill all the princesses. I’m not going to go to a prom full of them."

“Okay,” Catra frowned, she was still sure this was a good plan somehow. “But wouldn’t a prom where everyone is relaxed and normal be a perfect time for recon?” 

This made the woman pause again, blinking. “I—”

Catra grinned, “I’ll pick you up on the edge of the Whispering Woods. Wear red though so we’ll match.”

Glimmer blew the whistle and Catra’s ear flicked out. With her ears she was the only one capable of picking up on it. It was something Bow had invented years ago for battles. One long blast meant all clear, one short meant trouble. It was faster than a lot of other communication even if Catra couldn’t call back. 

The woman took advantage of her distraction and tried for another lunge.

“Well,” Catra sidestepped, “I should go. It’s been fun distracting you though.” 

The woman glanced away from Catra, for the first time noticing the lack of people in the town she was razing. “You—” 

“See you soon!” Catra blew her a kiss and raced off, unable to help the cackle as she glanced back and caught sight of the woman’s dumbfounded expression. 

“Are you okay?” Glimmer asked immediately after Catra broke through the wall of trees. 

“Course Sparkles,” Catra smiled, shoving her shoulder and getting a shove in return. Bow noogied her and she kicked him in the shin, grinning when he groaned. 

They had always been a fairly physical bunch. Most of Glimmer’s scars were from when she and Catra were little and they’d play fight for hours, Catra still getting a handle on her claws. Now it just didn’t feel normal to have a conversation without one of them touching the other. 

“C’mon you know that Force Captain couldn’t hurt me,” Catra said. 

Glimmer rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I hate how you actually flirt with her.”

“I asked her to princess prom,” Catra said.

Glimmer blinked, and then laughed for a long long time. When she saw that Catra wasn’t laughing her smile dropped. “I don’t—you what? What’s the plan? We make her dance to death?” 

“No,” Catra grinned, “I’m picking her up at the Whispering Wood. We’re gonna wear red.” 

“Right,” Glimmer nodded. “And then once she’s lulled into a false sense of security we—”

“God I knew it was a mistake to tell you anything. Can’t you just be happy I’m dating someone?”

“Not when you’re dating the Horde soldier that wants to kill us!” 

“She’s not the only one. She’s one of many. Octavia definitely wants to kill me.” 

“I’m telling Mom.”

Catra’s eyes widened, “You wouldn’t dare.” Glimmer teleported in a flash and Catra snarled trying to grab her. 

“Well,” Bow said, “Looks like we’re walking back.” 

Catra glared at him, “I bet you’re gonna take her side too.” 

Bow said nothing, for all the world enjoying the vistas he had seen a million times before.

* * *

“Catra of Bright Moon. Tell me you did not ask one of the most bloodthirsty force captains in remembered history to princess prom!” Queen Angella loomed over her and Catra picked at her claws. Her mother had more bark than bite and she had become pretty competent at tuning her out. 

“Did you want to hear the rest of the mission report or—”

“You are not going to the princess prom. I’m grounding you. You’re grounded.” 

“I already RSVP’d,” Catra reminded her, “Would you really want us to break a centuries old commitment?” Her mom looked like she was about to go red and Catra sighed, “We have to leave out weapons at the door, she’s got no magic, and she’ll be surrounded by princesses with magic. It’ll be fine. Plus Glimmer and Bow will be there the whole time. If something happens it’ll be three against one.”

“Four against one,” Bow cut in. “Perfuma and I are going together.” 

“You’re what?!” Glimmer demanded and Catra groaned. This was going to be a headache.

* * *

Glimmer didn’t want to get ready with her. Something about ‘I guess if we’re throwing all other traditions out the window we might as well—‘ yelled in Bow’s direction. 

It wasn’t that big of a deal, Catra wore her promised red suit that she had ordered special when she had first been promoted to Commander. She fretted about flowers, not knowing her date’s name even, but decided in the end it made more sense to seem at ease. The force captain seemed like a total stress case and one of them had to be normal. 

Fifteen minutes before she had to leave Glimmer teleported into her room, making Catra smear the mascara. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming!” Glimmer paced behind her, her dress something cut and cute. 

“Neither can I,” muttered Catra, now wiping the smeared mascara off her face. 

“You have such a thing for blondes!” Glimmer accused and Catra rolled her eyes up, reapplying the black paint. 

“Not true, I dated Mermista.”

“You dated Mermista?!” 

“Relax, it was a fling but she was kinda boring,” Catra shrugged. 

The affair was nothing to write home about. Mermista and Sea Hawk had been on the outs so Catra had seen the opportunity. Most of what she had gotten from it was constant access to sea food. But there had been quiet days on the beach spent reading that had been nice. Nice but boring.

“Is that why you’re doing this? Excitement? Rebellion?” Glimmer asked. 

“God, you sound like Mom. Is it too much to think maybe I like this girl for who she is?”

“What’s her name?” Glimmer raised an eyebrow. 

“Working on it,” Catra finally turned and glared at her, “Now get out twerp I gotta go pick her up.” 

The skiff ride was pleasant and short and pulling up to the Fright Zone cut it even shorter. The air clogged up the engines which must’ve been why the designs had been discarded when Catra scavenged them and brought them back to Bright Moon for Bow to improve on. 

The force captain was waiting on the edge for her, glaring, and kept glancing around like she was terrified they’d get caught. Maybe she was. 

“Hey,” Catra smirked and the force captain frowned at her, “I love the dress.” 

It was simple but a light shade of red and it made her look… younger. Her scars were on full display, wrapping up her legs, around her arms, even circling her neck and trailing up to lick at her the edges of face like flames. They were bright red and angry looking, even painful, and some part of Catra desperately wanted to reach out, trace her fingers over them. 

“Thanks,” the woman ground out. 

“This is our ride,” Catra gestured towards the skiff and the woman nodded, stepping onto it and scowled at Catra. “We’ll meet my sister and her friends there. I still don’t know your name by the way.” 

“Force Captain Adora,” She sat on the skiff like it might eat her and crossed her arms. Catra grabbed the navigator and powered it on, steering them away from the craggy landscape of the Fright Zone. 

“Nice to formally meet you, Adora, I’m Catra,” she smiled, baring her fangs and Adora narrowed her eyes. 

They rode in silence towards the Northern Reach. 

“You ready?” Catra asked, holding out her hand for Adora’s. 

Adora ignored it pushing past her, “I’m here for recon. This doesn’t change anything you know.”

Catra rolled her eyes, “please don’t make Glimmer right about you. That would so put a damper on my weekend.” 

“Glimmer’s your sister, right?” Adora asked. 

“I’ll introduce you.”

As soon as they stepped inside Adora’s eyes widened, her neck craning as she tried to take in the entire grand hall at once. 

“What is this?” Adora muttered. 

“What never been to a party before?” Catra asked. 

“A what?” Adora blinked at her and Catra stared. 

“Wait. Seriously?” Adora looked away and Catra kept staring. 

She watched as Adora reluctantly handed over a variety of knives and tasers to the coat check and watched as Adora swept each room she walked into, checking the doors and corners like some shadow was constantly ready to leap out at her. 

Catra had always assumed the Fright Zone was a lawless violent arena, the strong ruling over the weak. They raided border villages and killed innocent towns people like they were hungry for blood. At least—Catra always thought they had. That was what had drawn her to Adora. Adora never acted like she was hungry, only ever exhausted, going through the motions. But the Fright Zone couldn’t have been lawless, couldn’t have been anarchy like Catra thought. Adora would’ve known what a party was, wouldn’t still be acting like an enemy was about to leap out when they were in a neutral zone. 

She spotted Glimmer across the room glaring at her and she held out her elbow for Adora to take. Adora rolled her eyes, slipping her fingers gently into the crease, and followed Catra over. Adora’s hand were calloused but kinda soft. 

“Glimmer,” Catra kicked her in the shin when Glimmer didn’t drop the glare, “This is Adora. My date.” 

Glimmer’s grunted, before she forced a smile, “It’s so nice to meet you,” she said sugary sweet. “If you even think of—“

“Glimmer!” Catra pushed her. She looked back at Adora, “C’mon I want to introduce you to everyone else.” 

“I—“

“We’ll start with Princess Frosta,” Catra barreled on, taking Adora’s hand and walking her through the crowd, “Since she’s our ‘revered hostess,’ but I think you’ll like my friend Bow.” 

“Bow?” Catra tugged her in line to meet Frosta. 

“Yeah he’s—Spinnerella? Netossa?”

The couple turned, smiling first at Catra then blinking at Adora, taking her full body in. 

“Uh, Catra!” Spinnerella recovered first. “It’s nice to see you. Who’s your…um, date?”

“Force Captain Adora,” Adora said, stony. 

Netossa’s eye twitched, “Riiiiight, Catra? A word?” Catra glanced at Adora who still looked stony and nodded at Netossa, letting herself be pulled out of line, “What the hell?” Netossa demanded. 

“We’re in neutral territory, I don’t see what the issue is,” Catra crossed her arms.

“She’s a Horde soldier,” Netossa said. “Why would you want to go out with a Horde solider?”

Because when she fought she moved with a grace and power previously unknown to Catra. Because Catra had never seen a shade of gray so intense before she saw Adora’s eyes. Because Adora never smiled and Catra loved a challenge. Because the Horde green didn’t suit Adora and maybe that was for a reason. Because every time Catra was around her she could feel her blood buzzing under her skin. Because no one had ever made her feel like that before Adora. 

Catra shrugged. 

“Darling!” Spinnerella called and Netossa turned to see it was their turn. They walked back to the line and Netossa and Spinnerella climbed up the stairs. 

“Follow my lead with the whole bow thing,” Catra muttered. “there’s a process to it but I don’t think anyone really cares.” They climbed the stairs and Catra bowed first, bending her leg just so and angling her body so Adora could see. 

“Revered hostess,” Catra said. “Thank you for your invitation.”

Adora’s eyes had widened on Frosta, “Wait? She’s a princess? But she’s like—ten?” Catra winced.

The entire hall went silent and Adora paled, Frosta glared at her, eyes tracing the lines on Adora’s arms—neck, before glaring up at Adora’s face. “Actually, I’m 11 and three quarters.” 

“My sincerest apologies, revered Hostess. My plus one is new to princess stuff and still learning the etiquette.” She bowed again, nudging Adora to follow her lead. 

Princess Frosta nodded, “The Princess Prom is neutral territory. I expect there will no more interruptions?”

“Of course,” Catra bowed again and grabbed Adora’s hand, pulling her away from the icy throne and its princess. 

“Sorry,” Adora winced, and Catra shook her head. 

“Nah, Frosta’s always been a brat. Wanna hit the dance floor?” Adora looked over and Catra watched her. “Cmon.” She grabbed her hand and Adora, instead of launching away, squeezed tighter.

Adora was a—natural dancer. She wasn’t clumsy like Catra would’ve thought and even though they struggled with the hand placement and—“Are you leading?” “I thought you were?”—once they got in the groove they were actually kinda killing it. Adora even looked like she was having fun, like her expression wasn’t so stone solid. 

“Catra!” Catra turned, Bow was waving from his spot next to Perfuma.

“Wanna hit the buffet?” Catra asked, on a double twirl. 

“Need a break so soon?” Adora asked. 

Catra rolled her eyes, a smirk growing, “Jerk. I bet they have seafood, you probably haven’t had lobster.”

Taking Adora’s hand again, Catra marched them over to Bow and Perfuma. “Well if it isn’t arrow boy and flower girl, how are you two crazy kids?”

“Catra! Your aura is much lighter today and uh—who is your um—friend?” Perfuma’s eyes traced Adora’s body and Catra’s eyes narrowed. If Perfuma and her had anything in common it was muscle bound idiots with hearts of gold. This one was Catra’s.

Adora blushed and Catra pulled her tighter, wrapping an arm around her waist. “This is my date, Adora.”

“We’ve met.” Perfuma did not sound impressed, or jealous. “You kinda poisoned my land and almost forced my people into homelessness.”

Adora’s mouth set, “The runestones are capable of more violence than the Horde ever could be. Taking them out is the only way to protect Etheria from your tyranny.”

“Cool!” Catra stepped between them, Adora’s voice had taken on a mechanical echo-y quality. “Great. This is fun.”

“Etheria chose us to connect to the runestones, you really trust the Horde more than you trust the magic at Etheria’s core?” Perfuma’s voice did not sound very chill and Adora stepped closer. 

“Trust magic? That’s like trusting a flood, or lightning, or wildfires.” Adora was practically spitting. 

“Oh man Frosta has lobsters,” Bow’s voice cracked. 

“If we could all just—”

“What would you know about magic, all you do is destroy!” Perfuma’s voice reached a pitch almost high enough to shatter glass. Frosta’s palace was in trouble. 

“Adora and I are gonna go mingle,” Catra said louder, grabbing Adora by the forearm. “Catch up to you later, Bow?” He nodded vigorously, pulling Perfuma in the opposite direction. 

Once they got a little further away Catra released Adora, "Don't worry,” Catra crossed her arms and glared where Perfuma was walking away, “she totally started that.” 

Adora frowned but didn’t say anything. Catra wondered what kissing her would taste like.

“Um, I should, uh—” Adora looked around, and Catra with her. Okay, so Perfuma and Adora’s screaming match had drawn some eyes, but already that was decreasing, people now focused on their own mess. “I have to go to the bathroom.” She scrambled away and Catra watched her go. Probably she needed space. Or time. Or something.

It was around fifteen minutes to midnight that Catra realized Adora hadn't come back from the bathroom. 

“Glimmer!” Catra caught her little sister by the arm, dragging her behind an ice column, “You haven’t seen Adora anywhere have you?”

“You mean you lost her?” Glimmer demanded. “How—how is that—how did you—I’m so telling Mom.”

“Help me fix this,” Catra ground out, “or I’ll tell her about your and Bow’s sleepovers.”

Glimmer blushed, “They’re platonic!”

“You check the dance floor and the coatcheck, I’ll check outside, then the buffet.” Glimmer nodded, disappearing in a cloud of sparkles and headed for the nearest patio door. 

“There you are,” Catra sighed in relief, the momentary panic of her losing her date/war criminal finally leaving her. “Are you okay?” When Adora turned to her Catra’s eyes widened. Adora’s cautious blankness was gone, her eyes were slightly red and her jaw was trembling from being clenched so tight. “Hey, what’s wrong?” 

“They’re all staring,” Adora crossed her arms, “And I knew they wouldn’t like me. I didn’t come for them to like me but I didn’t think they’d stare at my…” her gaze trails down, “You know.” Her hands rub up and down on her arms, covering her scars and Catra feels her ears go back. 

“Adora,” She advances but Adora flinched and it stopped Catra in her tracks. “Here,” She shucked off her jacket and instantly held it out to Adora who stared at it. “You can cover up your arms if you want to. Control what people see.” 

Adora took it, hand trembling as she reached out and slipped it over her shoulders, the sleeves too tight for Adora to fully get her arms in.

Catra sat on a nearby bench and patted the spot next to her. Adora inched over, sitting on the far side and Catra couldn’t stop the grin taking over her face. The moons were gorgeous, three of them drifting over the sky peacefully. From her spot in Bright Moon she could usually see six, on a good night seven. What was the view like from the Fright Zone?

“Why'd you ask me to come?” Adora asked, staring at Catra. 

Catra blinked, Adora’s eyes were still red, her fingers still trembling holding the edges of Catra’s jacket over her. “I like you,” she shrugged.

“Why? We’ve only ever tried to kill each other.” 

“I try to kill Glimmer and Bow on a daily basis,” Catra smiled but Adora still looked serious, “that’s a joke.”

Adora looked away and Catra sighed. She’d messed up, hadn’t she? 

“You stared too. At the scars,” Adora said.

“Well yeah, they’re kinda eye catching. But mainly because they look—well—painful.” Catra met Adora’s eyes, so blue and serious and something in her ached. She reached a finger out, retracting her claws, and watching that unchangeable expression attempted to trace the long swirls against Adora’s collarbone. It was no use. As soon as she made contact something fizzled and both she and Adora flinched. “Magic?’ 

Adora looked down. 

“These were from magic? Is that why you hate princesses so much?”

“The princesses don’t know how to control their magic, they can’t be trusted with the safety of Etheria.” The words are rehearsed, like many of the other statements Adora had made tonight, but Catra’s better at listening to them. Knows better. 

“Which princess did this?” 

She takes Adora’s hand and Adora stares at it, like she doesn’t quite know what to do with it. When Catra squeezes it Adora looks up, “Oh um, it wasn’t a princess.” 

“Who then?” 

“They’re training scars. I wasn’t fast enough to dodge my commanding officer is all.” Adora looks away and there’s marks that crawl up her jawline, flicked at her ear and have chewed it up. 

“Does this still happen?” 

Adora shook her head. “I’m not a cadet anymore. She only gets angry with me when I lose.” 

“Thaymor,” Catra breathes, guilt curdling in her stomach. “Did she—”

“It was my fault,” Adora covers, “I let myself get distracted I—”

“You don’t have to go back there,” Catra grabbed her hands, “You don’t have to fight for the Rebellion but you don’t have to fight for the Horde either. You could do what you wanted.” 

“It doesn’t matter what I want. It’s my destiny to defeat the Rebellion and lead the Horde to victory. It’s what I’m supposed to do.” 

“Who says?” 

“Shadow Weaver,” Adora said and Catra imagined the hag she had never even seen before slowly burning to death. 

“Fuck Shadow Weaver! What does she know?” Adora straightened, her face going carefully blank and Catra took a deep breath. Right. Anger. She wasn’t doing that anymore. “Destiny is for chumps. You can do what you want, Adora.” Adora shook her head and Catra furrowed her brow, “What do you want, Adora?”

Adora’s eyes widened and she stared at Catra, “Um, I want—I want—I want to go. Right now.” She nodded. “Yes. I’m going. Right now. Bye.”

“What?” Adora threw off the jacket, shoving it in Catra’s hands and then dashed off and through the dance floor and out the palace. 

“Adora, wait!” Catra tried to follow but within moments Adora had vanished in the crowd and Catra was left standing there, holding her jacket, feeling awful.

* * *

“Incoming!” Lonnie set their light cannons on full and Adora lifted her staff, her force a well oiled machine lifted it in tandem. “Wait hold on—it’s your girlfriend.” 

Adora paused, the skiff grew closer and Catra’s eyes blinked wide at her. “Um, hold your fire. For now.” 

The skiff approached, Catra was on it with her friend Bow and another guy who had a very shiny mustache.

They approached the Horde ship and Catra hopped off the skiff, striding over to Adora who held herself stiff as Catra got closer. Her eyes were wide with horror and Adora realized she was probably mad Adora was leading an invasion against Salinas. Or maybe for leaving her at Princess Prom.

“What the hell happened to your eye?” Catra demanded. 

Oh yeah. “Um—I lost it?” 

“You what.” 

“I lost it,” Adora nodded vigorously.

“How did you lose it?” Catra crossed her arms. She was mad. Why?

“Um—” Adora looked at her force who were all studiously looking everywhere else. “You know…”

“No I don’t know,” Catra tapped her foot.

“She was supposed to kidnap you and Glimmer at the princess prom!” Kyle blurted and Adora glared at him, hiding behind Rogelio. Great. Now someone was getting involved. 

Catra turned to look at her, eyes piercing and Adora hung her head, “Sorry.” 

“Fuck,” Catra ran a hand through her hair in a sigh. “You don’t need to do that Adora.” 

“Do what?”

“Protect me,” Adora snapped her head up and Catra glared, “I can take care of myself. You doing this is just gonna get you hurt.”

“Catra, I’m not gonna kidnap you just so I don’t lose an eye,” Adora spelled out, her brows furrowing at the ridiculous request. 

“Why are you saying that like I’m the unreasonable one?” Catra’s hands clenched into fists.

“I’ve still got the other eye!” Adora pointed out. 

Catra rubbed the bridge of her nose and then took a deep breath. “Adora,” her voice was a false calm but still calm. “Have you considered that even one eye is too much to lose?” 

Adora rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the familiar grooves there too. “I don’t understand.” 

“They shouldn’t be hurting you,” Catra said slowly and stepped closer. “Ever.”

“Well if I screw up—”

“Adora.” Catra entwined their fingers and Adora felt Catra’s heart beat steady through them. “You’re can’t just—”

“Yes I can,” Adora nodded, “I can’t leave the Horde, but I won’t let you get hurt.”

Catra shook her head, “this is war, you can’t have it both ways.” 

“Who says?” Adora asked. 

Catra gestured to Adora’s eye, not even bothering to respond. 

“It’s worth it!” Adora said. “It’s worth it okay? It’s fine.”

And when Adora leaves the Horde, it finally is. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i finished a couple scenes just for you all but this is unbetaed and pure crack. since this was just a concept, an argument that adora and catra would've fallen in love even if they had been on opposite sides of the war from the beginning and also a play on the magicatra au, you all can consider it non canon. I might take scenes from it if i ever do write a real princess prom au or put it in one of the stories but i have no idea if i will. for now, this is just some fun
> 
> Please read my new sequel! It's gay and continues the story and is told from adora's perpsective and they're on a boat! also, there are shorter chapters in case you're sick of my super long ones! feel free to drop an ask on tumblr! I post on there all the time and there's some cool bid my mother insider stuff there too. 
> 
> [@womenlovingwonderwoman](https://womenlovingwonderwoman.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I also love giving fic recs so drop an ask for those but if you've ever clicked on my author's name you'll see i've read literally everything on her in my book marks and you can just search through that.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you liked it! Every comment=500 words. If you have a oneshot you'd like to see comment that and/or vote for which of these you'd like to see: 
> 
> the princess prom crack fic that was the first fic rough draft. Where catra took adora to princess prom bc she had a crush on her from fighting her so much. (suggested by user itsok)  
> OR  
> The bfs finally using that map in Catra's pocket and going to see Catra's village
> 
> I have a bunch more brainstormed but these are the two most written out i think. also for some reason it's not letting me put that there's gonna be more chapters or a chapter title but there is a chapter title and there are gonna be more chapters so...
> 
> edit 10.24.20: I have a sequel coming out now and I figured out how to add chapters! your welcome! the sequel will be from adora's perspective, be about 4 chapters long again, and take place a couple weeks after the events of this story. I'll try and put the princess prom story up when I put the sequel up!
> 
> edit 11/29/2020: so I'm reorganizing my series structure because I realized a lot of things didn't fit into it nicely in a way that would make sense to the readers. The plan is that every multi chapter story (or just about) I'll also have a couple one shots that will either get their own work or be mushed into one, depending on how plot oriented they are. So if you're enjoying my sequel fic, holy fires that you fled, after will be a one shot series with about three one shots attached to it, and then I'll do two individual works that are just one shots because they're more plot oriented. Then after that I think I'll probably do a multi chapter and that will be the last in the series. I'm still figuring this all out so if you guys have better ideas i would be alighted to hear them!


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